Lever switch and composite switch using the same

ABSTRACT

A cover is provided to an opening of a housing of a lever switch. One of a side face or an opening of a knob opposite to the side face is protruded like a cup and the remaining one is recessed like a cup, so that a lever switch is constructed. This structure does not allow an operator of the lever to see inside of the housing, cover and knob or a lead-wire running through those elements. A good looking lever switch is thus obtainable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to lever switches to be used in vehicles and composite switches using the same lever switches.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A lever switch used in a vehicle is mounted near a steering wheel. The lever switch is supposed to switch functions such as headlights, blinkers, a wiper motor that activates a windshield wiper on a front and a rear windshield, a washer motor that sprays wash fluid onto the windshield, and the like.

[0003] The foregoing conventional lever switch is described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 3 which shows a partial sectional view of the conventional lever switch.

[0004] Box-shaped insulating housing 1 made from resin has an opening on its right side. Slider 2 is accommodated in housing 1 in a slidable manner. On the rear face and lateral faces of slider 2, movable contacts (not shown) are prepared. Those movable contacts are brought into contact with fixed contacts (not shown) prepared on the bottom or lateral faces of housing 1 by sliding slider 2, so that electrical on-off is carried out. Switch contacts 3 are thus formed. The left end of lever 4 engages with slider 2. Lever 4 protrudes from opening 1A of housing 1 in a rockable manner. On the right end of lever 4, knob 5 is mounted. Operating section 5A at the tip of knob 5 accommodates switch contact 6 of rotary type. Lead-wire 7 couples switch contact 6 in knob 5 to a printed circuit board (not shown) in housing 1. Lead-wire 7 runs through opening 5B on the left end of knob 5 and opening 1A of housing 1, so that the lever switch is built.

[0005] In the structure discussed above, knob 5 moves back and forth or up and down, thereby moving lever 4 mounted to knob 5, and sliding slider 2 in housing 1, so that switch contacts 3 formed between slider 2 and housing 1 carry out electrical on-off. The electric signal produced by this electrical on-off is transmitted to an electronic circuit (not shown) of the vehicle, so that e.g., the headlights are switched.

[0006] A rotation of operating section 5A disposed at the right end of knob 5 carries out electrical on-off of switch contact 6 in knob 5. The electric signal produced by this electrical on-off is transmitted to the electronic circuit of the vehicle via lead-wire 7 and housing 1. The motors are thus switched.

[0007] However, the foregoing conventional structure has such a problem as an operator of the lever can see inside of housing 1 and knob 5, and lead-wire 7 running there via a gap between opening 1A of housing 1 and opening 5B of knob 5. It looks bad and damages an appearance of the switch. Further, it can damage the lead-wire every time when the lever is operated for switching the functions. This is also a problem from a safety standpoint.

[0008] The present invention addresses the problems discussed above and aims to provide a good looking lever switch and a composite switch using the same lever switch.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention provides a lever switch that comprises the following elements:

[0010] a housing having an opening on its lateral face;

[0011] a slider accommodated in the housing;

[0012] switch contacts carrying out electrical on-off by sliding the slider;

[0013] a lever of which first end engages with the slider and protrudes from the opening of the housing; and

[0014] a knob mounted to a second end of the lever,

[0015] where the opening of the housing is provided with a cover, and one of the cover or the knob's lateral face opposite to the cover is protruded like a cup, and the remaining one is recessed like a cup.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016]FIG. 1 shows a partial sectional view of a lever switch in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0017]FIG. 2 is a plan view of a composite switch in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0018]FIG. 3 shows a partial sectional view of a conventional lever switch.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0019] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is demonstrated hereinafter with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. Elements similar to the elements used in the background of the invention have the same reference marks and the detailed descriptions thereof are omitted here.

[0020] Exemplary Embodiment

[0021] In FIG. 1, box-shaped housing 10 made from insulating resin has an opening on its right side. Slider 2 is accommodated in housing 10 in a slidable manner. On the rear face and lateral faces of slider 2, movable contacts (not shown) are prepared. Those movable contacts are brought into contact with fixed contacts (not shown) prepared on the bottom or lateral faces of housing 10 by sliding slider 2, so that electrical on-off is carried out. Switch contacts 3 are thus formed.

[0022] The left end of lever 13 engages with slider 2. Lever 13 protrudes from opening 10A of housing 10 in a rockable manner. On the right end of lever 13, knob 14 is mounted. Operating section 14A at the tip of knob 14 accommodates switch contact 6 of rotary type.

[0023] Hollow cover 16 made from insulating-resin covers opening 10A of housing 10. Right side-face 16A of cover 16 protrudes like a cup at its center toward knob 14. A lateral face of opening 14B at the left end of knob 14 is opposite to side-face 16A. The lateral face is spaced from cover 16 with a little clearance and recessed like a cup. This structure does not allow an operator of the lever to see the inside of housing 10, cover 16 and knob 14 through the clearance between side-face 16A and opening 14B.

[0024] Further, lead-wire 7 couples electrical elements such as switch contact 6 and an illuminating section (not shown) at the end of knob 14 to electrical elements such as a printed circuit board and switch contacts 3 in housing 10. Lead-wire 7 runs through communicating tube 13A prepared on lever 13 at a place where cover 16 faces knob 14. The lever switch is thus constructed. In this construction, a rocking movement of knob 14 back and forth or up and down rocks lever 13 mounted to knob 14.

[0025] Slider 2 slides in housing 10, so that switch contacts 3 formed between slider 2 and housing 10 carry out electrical on-off. An electric signal produced by this electrical on-off is transmitted to an electric circuit (not shown) of the vehicle, thereby switching, e.g., the headlights. Side-face 16A of cover 16 is opposite to opening 14B of knob 14, and one of them protrudes like a cup and the other is recessed like a cup thereby facing to each other. During the rocking operation of the lever, this structure does not allow an operator of the lever to see the inside of housing 10, cover 16, and knob 14, or lead-wire 7 running there through the clearance between side-face 16A and opening 14B.

[0026] Rotation of operating section 14A disposed at the end of knob 14 carries out electrical on-off of switch contact 6 prepared in knob 14. An electrical signal produced by this electrical on-off is transmitted to the electronic circuit of the vehicle via lead-wire 7 and housing 10, thereby switching, e.g., a motor.

[0027] The lever switch thus structured is used, for instance, as shown in FIG. 2, where lever switch 21 is placed on the left side of housing 20 and lever switch 22 is placed on the right side of housing 20, so that a composite switch is constructed.

[0028] Opening 20A at the center of housing 20 receives a shaft (not shown) of a steering wheel of a vehicle, and each one of lever switches 21, 22 is placed typically in a radial manner with respect to the rotation center of the steering wheel.

[0029] In the foregoing structure, lever switch 21 or 22 is rocked or the knob prepared at the end of respective lever switches is rotated, thereby switching the headlights to small lamps, the blinkers, and the windshield wipers from intermittent operation to a high-speed or a low-speed operation, application of wash fluid from spraying to halting, and the like.

[0030] As discussed above, according to this exemplary embodiment, opening 10A of housing 10 is covered by cover 16. One of side-face 16A or opening 14A of knob 14 is protruded like a cup and the remaining one is recessed like a cup, so that the lever switch is constructed. This structure does not allow an operator of the lever to see the inside of housing 10, cover 16, and knob 14, or lead-wire 7 running there.

[0031] As a result, a good looking lever switch and a composite switch using the lever switches are obtainable.

[0032] Communicating tube 13A is provided on lever 13 at the place where cover 16 faces knob 14, and lead-wire 7 runs through this communicating tube 13A for coupling the electrical elements in knob 14 to those in housing 10. This structure secures lead-wire 7 during the rocking operation of lever 13 and prevents lead-wire 7 from being damaged.

[0033] In the foregoing description, opening 10A of housing 10 is covered with cover 16; however, the cover can be incorporated into the housing, so that the number of components can be reduced and the cost can be lowered. The housing made from resin is not limited to be shaped like a box, and its shape can be changed depending on a design. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A lever switch comprising: a housing having an opening on its side face; a slider accommodated in said housing; a switch contact for carrying out an electrical on-off by sliding said slider; a lever of which first end engages with said slider and protrudes from the opening of said housing; and a knob mounted to a second end of said lever, wherein a cover is provided to the opening of said housing, and one of the cover and a lateral face of said knob facing the cover is protruded like a cup and a remaining one is recessed like a cup.
 2. The lever switch of claim 1, wherein said housing and the cover are incorporated with each other.
 3. The lever switch of claim 1, wherein a communicating tube is provided to said lever at a place where the cover faces said knob, and a lead-wire runs through the tube for coupling an electrical element in said knob to an electrical element in said housing.
 4. A composite switch including a lever switch, said lever switch comprising: a housing having an opening on its side face; a slider accommodated in said housing; a switch contact for carrying out an electrical on-off by sliding said slider; a lever of which first end engages with said slider and protrudes from the opening of said housing; and a knob mounted to a second end of said lever, wherein a cover is provided to the opening of said housing, and one of the cover and a lateral face of said knob facing the cover is protruded like a cup and a remaining one is recessed like a cup, and wherein a plurality of said lever switches are placed radially with respect to a rotation center of a steering wheel of a vehicle.
 5. The composite switch of claim 4, wherein said housing and the cover are incorporated with each other.
 6. The composite switch of claim 4, wherein a communicating tube is provided to said lever at a place where the cover faces said knob, and a lead-wire runs through the tube for coupling an electrical element in said knob to an electrical element in said housing. 